Antisocial Behaviour

Several Labour MPs, including Kirith Entwistle, Mr Barros-Curtis, Laurence Turner, Leigh Ingham, and Jo Platt, asked the Minister of State for the Home Department, Dame Diana Johnson, what steps her department is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour. In her response, the Minister acknowledged that antisocial behaviour is blighting high streets and town centres across the country, and stated that the government has made tackling it a top priority. She said they will restore neighbourhood policing, putting more police officers on the beat, and introduce new "respect orders" to get repeat offenders off the streets. Kirith Entwistle asked the Minister to assure him and his constituents in Bolton North East that the department will take clear steps to address the issue. The Minister responded affirmatively, stating that neighbourhood policing is crucial to restoring public confidence, and that the police have powers to crack down on the antisocial use of dangerous off-road bikes. Mr Barros-Curtis, representing Cardiff West, asked the Minister to work closely with the South Wales Police and the new police and crime commissioner to deliver on this mission. The Minister reiterated that tackling antisocial behaviour is a priority, and that the government will strengthen the powers available to the police and local authorities. Laurence Turner, the MP for Birmingham Northfield, noted that crime and antisocial behaviour were major issues on the doorstep during the election, and asked the Minister to arrange a meeting to discuss how "respect orders" and other measures can reduce the problems in his constituency. The Minister agreed to the meeting, acknowledging that the previous government had weakened the response to antisocial behaviour. Leigh Ingham, the MP for Stafford, raised concerns from residents in the Highfields area about the use of off-road vehicles in pedestrian areas, and the Minister reiterated the government's plans to address this issue through the neighbourhood policing guarantee. Jo Platt, the MP for Leigh and Atherton, welcomed the Minister's team and the Home Secretary's pre-election visit to acknowledge the issues in their towns. She asked about the potential for collaboration among support agencies to better manage the complex nature of these offences, and the Minister outlined plans for new "respect orders" and "zero tolerance zones" to tackle the problem. The Shadow Policing Minister, Matt Vickers, raised the issue of antisocial behaviour at Manchester Airport and the need to support police officers, to which the Minister responded that it would be inappropriate to comment on the specific incident, but that the government will support the police in their difficult work. The Liberal Democrat spokesperson, Jamie Stone, raised concerns about the decline in police numbers in the Highlands of Scotland, and the Minister acknowledged that this is a devolved matter for the Scottish Government and Police Scotland.